Colts not scared off by Walden's playoff struggles

Mar. 19, 2013

Written by

Rob Demovsky

PHOENIX — Yes, Chuck Pagano watched the tape of the outside linebacker Erik Walden from the Packers’ loss to the 49ers in the NFC divisional playoff game, when quarterback Colin Kaepernick rushed for 181 yards and in the process made most of the Packers defensive players, Walden chief among them, look foolish.

But that didn’t deter the Colts coach from jumping on board with the organization’s decision to sign him to a four-year, $16 million free-agent contract last week.

“You look at his whole body of work,” Pagano said this morning during the AFC coaches breakfast at the NFL annual meetings. “We could find tape of every player in the National Football League where they had a bad play here or there, or they had a bad game and say ‘OK, he’s not a fit for us.’ But we look at the entire body of work, not just one game.”

Pagano believes Walden can be effective both against the run and as a pass rusher. Though he had just three sacks last season, he was second among Packers defenders in quarterback hits with 24, behind only Clay Matthews (41).

“We saw a guy that first and foremost was an edge setter,” Pagano said. “On defense, we talk about stopping the run. If you don’t have an edge, you have no chance. We saw a real physical presence on the tape where Erik brings a ton of that to the table. He’s a guy that can definitely set the edge. That’s the number one criteria for outside linebackers in our scheme. Number two is pass rush ability, and he can do that. The numbers may not be there, but he effects a lot of pass plays whether it’s first or second down, play action pass, things like that. He’s going to be great for us as far as stopping the run goes and then rushing the passer, and then there’s probably a lot of things we can do with him on third down in our packages.”